Right now, CPW will pay all shipping charges for TWO Mash Monster certifications in the USA. (Sorry International, but shipping during the Xmas season is kind of sketchy). 

Eligibility requirements:

• Athlete must be someone who has not yet participated in the new Mash Monster program.
• All other eligibility requirements remain in place, such as door-openers.
• First come, first served! 

Updated benefit to becoming a GripBoard Mash Monster

Also, I would like to announce that all certified Mash Monsters on the new program will now get the GripBoard Contributor Level 3 free for life. This means you can continue to attempt additional Mash Monster levels and would get the member benefits like CPW ratings on an on-going basis. You can certainly still maintain your subscription if you want to support the community, but it would remain active otherwise.

Become a Mash Monster! 

Hell yeah Donny! @Grip_strength_and_power

Congratulations to Amy on this historic achievement!

This is an update on the progress toward a new, updated Mash Monster certification! I have tried hard to preserve elements of the retired certification with some improvements. Some of this is driven by what's possible and some by my own preferences. 

Things that will stay the same 

• The Mash Monster certification is intended to be an elite certification. Originally I had aspirations to expand the levels, but I believe that adds an unnecessary amount of additional logistics, cert management, and waters down the achievement. Throughout its duration, the retired certification averaged about 24 certifications per year. The new certification will be more accessible with more carefully spaced levels so I believe activity will increase as a baseline. A bunch of additional lower levels feels unwieldy. 
• The Mash Monster Set. There is a chance to switch to a setting block, but I do not prefer that option. Most well-known certs use a block so the MM cert was unique in this respect. We will keep the parallel or wider Mash Monster Set. 
• The certifications will be via video submission, no witness required. However I am implementing safeguards which I believe 100% guarantee authenticity of the certification. A primary safeguard is that the MM grippers will be unique items which are tightly controlled and received back as part of the certification, as before. It is a massive security to be able to scrutinize the gripper after the attempt and most other certifications do not operate this way. There will be protocols which the video must follow and it will be possible to fail the certification based entirely on execution in the video. There will also be tamper-evident safeguards which guarantee the judges will be able to identify the original gripper on video; not all of which will be explained to the public. 
• An MM0-style door opener will still be required to establish readiness for the certification both in terms of strength level and ability to shoot an acceptable video. 
• Judging will be completed by the Mash Monster judges as before. 3 judges will score the attempt and it will take 2 out of 3 "white lights" to pass.  
• Participants must be a GripBoard Contributor at any level. Contributor Level 1 offers one certification attempt per year and Levels 2 and 3 offer unlimited attempts. Certification attempt means signing up for and attempting a level, not the number of tries you get during a single certification. That will remain as 3 attempts within a 15 minute time limit. 
• Any one person can only have one level checked out at a time. 
• There is no certification fee except to cover shipping. 
   

Things that are new 

• Where the old certification referred to levels, the new certification will be based on ratings. There are 7 levels planned at this time beginning at 160 and increasing to 220. The levels are 160-170-180-190-200-210-220. You would refer to the levels by number such as "Mash Monster 160" or Mash Monster 190". This naming will also distinguish new certifications from the retired legacy. While this is fewer total levels than the original certification, I believe this actually offers more truly distinct levels. There is a possibility for a level at 230.  
• You can jump directly to any level after completing the door opener. This is a huge change. The door opener will be two-fold in this respect. The door-opener for levels 160-170-180 is an IronMind #3 or equivalent, as before. For levels 190 and up the door opener is increased to an IronMind #3.5 or equivalent.   
• The retired certification offered a semblance of "everyone did the same thing" by always using the exact same gripper. The truth is that we know grippers do change slightly over time. Knurling gets worn and ratings slide. The new certification will actively manage the Mash Monster set to be "the same" based on repeatable specifications. The grippers will be made from Standard springs and handles. The handles will have unique markings not otherwise commercially available. After each certification, the gripper will be scrutinized not only to ensure the authenticity of the attempt, but also to ensure the gripper has not appreciably changed in specifications. If critical measurements such as the rating or spread fall out of our accepted tolerance from natural use, the gripper will be replaced with an original. In other words, I am more concerned about "everyone did the same thing" than "everyone closed the exact same gripper". I expect any one gripper to last years.  
• There will be a women's Mash Monster cert! Officially, it will also just be called Mash Monster and the respective levels which are planned to be 110-120-130-140. Door opener here is an IronMind #2 or equivalent. Everything else is the same. This does beg the question about Why can't anyone certify at these levels if they will exist? It goes back to a both a desire for the certification to remain elite, and a logistics issue about managing certification volume.  
• I am planning for expanded International availability. The current idea is to have a period every year where the set of grippers is shipped to a European Hub and managed from there. I do not want to maintain an entirely separate set that just lives at the European Hub. During this time period--something like 3 months--we can cram in as many European certifications as possible. Nothing else about the cert process would change. It's simply a chance to accommodate International certifications at a much lower cost. International participants can always sign up any time, but the costs could be higher.  
• We will not maintain profiles like before. The roster will be a list which records the highest level accomplished by each athlete. If you certify on multiple levels, your name will only remain on the highest level accomplished. We are considering the idea to list minimal personal info by the name such as weight class, age, height. Names will be listed in order and not numbered. 
• Off-hand will not be considered a unique feat. You can certify with either hand, but the only result is whether you were successful in general.
   

So what is the hold up?
In short, springs. We have the new level of Chromium spring on order...and have for a while. Our spring supplier (and the manufacturing sector in general) is short-staffed, over worked, and still experiencing some supply chain issues. We want to have all levels in place at once for a grand reopening.

Building the grippers, in general, is the only thing taking time. Since the plan is to pull from existing Standard supplies, the idea is that if CPW is rating grippers and comes across a 160 Cobalt or a 180 Titanium, it gets set aside to be converted. I can reliably hope to come across "back-ups" for all levels except 170. Or we can build grippers on purpose to land where we want. But, the whole reason we created Standard was to service a few dead zones in the gripper progression covered by other brands. In that same manner, Standard has dead zones as well. We essentially cannot make a 150 or 170 gripper for example. And I don't want to accomplish the levels by making the springs narrow or wide. So this will probably require ordering a special spring for 170, likely Cobalt with a slightly tighter coil (we're talking fractions of an inch here, maybe not noticeable to the naked eye). But we don't want 170 and 180 to be perceived as "the same difficulty" because the 170 is wide and the 180 is not. 

Otherwise, we have already started accumulating grippers at certain levels, hoping to essentially have a lifetime supply in place. This will help ensure consistency in the certification! 

We are really excited about the future of Mash Monster! 

All official certification videos will be posted to our @TheGripBoard YouTube account so consider subscribing.

Heath did pretty well with the new protocol. But one thing I will point out is that you definitely want to put the gripper in the secure bag (drawstrings down) BEFORE exposing the adhesive. Heath was dangerously close to the bag sealing without the gripper inside. Also, squeezing the bag has the potential to pop it from pressure so I wouldn't do that either. Just insert gripper, pull yellow film, seal like a Ziploc. Done!

Congratulations Heath! It's the start of a new era for Mash Monster. Watch for all the levels to open very soon for US certifications.

Something to keep in mind is that whatever your best close with a parallel set is, subtract 5rgc from that. With how strict the judging can be, following all of these rules plays a huge part your performance. Ive been practicing my filming to be more clear with my set and close and its made my closes drop by 5rgc give or take.

I will be responding to any video submission to this thread with constructive criticism that is only and always in the submitters best interest within a 24 hours notice. 

The hardest part about this certification is staying in frame and keeping a clear set and visible close. I will take the time to watch and also analyze your videos. I will be slowing down the film, and zooming in if needed. If you would like screenshots of a close or a miss, I will gladly provide that in this thread with explanation as well.

While I am not a judge for the gripboard, I would love to help out everyone training  to certify on the Mash Monster Ladder to make sure you’re 100% prepared. Before recording your video, please read over the rules that @Cannon has provided as well as the video demo created by @dubyagrip. This will help tremendously.

Some brief tips for a quality video:

•Stay close enough to your camera for a clear view but not so close that you risk leaving the frame.

•DO NOT use your front facing camera if your phone has one. Front facing cameras have a lower quality over video and can also have glare from the phone screen. (I have been victim to this several times.)

•Make sure you have good lighting and are away from any extra light that could cause a glare, like a window or any reflecting light.

I hope this can be helpful for everyone and provide more confidence for you in your future certifications! I look forward to your submissions and also look forward to more participation in the Mash Monster Ladder!

Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to have the opportunity to become a judge for the MM Cert one day!

Good work Chaz! Full video on the channel. 

MM200!

This was simply a vulgar display of power. Enough snort to kill an elephant. Blood flowing. Don't play this one with Grandma in the room. What a ride!

Congratulations @dubyagrip. You're currently topping the charts! Would love to see you go on to the MM210 and claim that $200 prize.

Full video on the YouTube channel.
 

Ben Helms has certified on the MM190. He is the first to accomplish this feat and, as it stands, is topping the charts.  

Full video also on our YouTube channel.

Welcome to the new Mash Monster certification! The GripBoard is offering 13 levels as a challenge to top grip athletes. This certification is meant to be elite. Cannon PowerWorks has carefully crafted each level to offer evenly spaced jumps. The grippers will be routinely serviced to ensure they stay within a tolerance of the original specifications. If a gripper slips out of tolerance it will be retired and replaced with a fresh model built to the same original specifications. In this way, we hope to preserve the spirit of the original Mash Monster certification that each athlete "did the same thing."

The following levels are available to female athletes:

• 110, Platinum spring
• 120, Platinum spring
• 130, Iron spring
• 140, Iron spring

Any athlete can certify at these levels:

• 160, Cobalt spring
• 170, Titanium spring
• 180, Titanium spring
• 190, Tungsten spring
• 200, Tungsten spring
• 210, Chromium spring
• 220, Chromium spring
• 230, Chromium spring
• 240, Chromium spring

Eligibility requirements

All prospective athletes must be a GripBoard Contributor. Level 1 offers one attempt per year, Level 2 offers two attempts per year, and Level 3 offers unlimited attempts. A failed certification still counts as an attempt. Prospective athletes must also complete a door-opener to prove their readiness for certification, connection to the community, and/or ability to shoot an acceptable video.

Female athletes signing up for Levels 110 through 140 must have one of these door openers:

• Certified IronMind Captains of Crush #2 or higher
• Completion of any Mash Monster Level 110 or higher
• Record of a 100+ rated gripper close at a GSI-sanctioned contest in the past year
• Link to a rated gripper close of 100+ taken in the last 60 days‡

Athletes signing up for Levels 160 and 170 must have one of these door openers:

• Previous MM0 under the Legacy Mash Monster program
• Certified Legacy Mash Monster at any level
• Certified IronMind Captains of Crush #3 or higher
• GHP Level 7 certification or higher
• Record of a 150+ rated gripper close at a GSI-sanctioned contest in the past year
• Link to a rated gripper close of 150+ taken in the last 60 days‡

Athletes signing up for Levels 180+ must have one of these door openers:

• Completion of Mash Monster 160 or 170
• Certified Legacy Mash Monster Level 3 or higher
• Certified IronMind Captains of Crush #3.5 or higher
• GHP Level 8 certification or higher
• Record of a 170+ rated gripper close at a GSI-sanctioned contest in the past year
• Link to a rated gripper close of 170+ taken in the last 60 days‡

‡ Do not submit a video if you meet any other door-opener. Video will be reviewed by the Mash Monster judges after sign up. The video does not need to be specifically recorded for judging. It can be any training video as long as it shows the rating and exhibits a proper Mash Monster parallel set and close. 

Certification sign up

There is no longer a sign-up queue. Sign ups are on demand using the Mash Monster Certification product at Cannon PowerWorks.

• You may claim any available level allowed by your door opener.
• If you have successfully certified at any level, you cannot move downward to a lower level.
• Only claim one gripper at a time.
• Do not add any other products to your order.
• Claiming a gripper means you are ready to receive the gripper and perform the certification.
• We anticipate the most popular levels might be hard to catch. We strongly recommend setting up a web alert so you get notified when any level is restocked. 
• There is no fee for the certification, all costs cover delivery and return shipping.

When you claim a gripper and check out, you must document these two eligibility requirements in the order notes:

• GripBoard member name with appropriate contributor subscription
• Validation of your door-opener by providing a link or reference (i.e. Link to contest results, IronMind's certification page, GSI records page, YouTube video of a training close or contest lift, etc)

Failure to document your eligibility in the order notes could delay your certification or cause the gripper to be restocked.

Gripper security and tampering safeguards

We have taken care to make the certification process as simple and secure as possible.

In keeping with the tradition of the Legacy Mash Monster certification, a chief safeguard is the fact that the gripper is returned and can be inspected for tampering. This is powerful protection against tampering methods which only work by reducing the rating, spread, or both. Certification grippers will also feature easily identifiable custom handles that will never be commercially available. There are other security and anti-tampering safeguards which will not be made public, effectively making them almost impossible to find and circumvent.

Finally, the gripper will be placed in a secure bag on camera at the end of the certification video. This bag guarantees the gripper will be returned in the exact condition used to certify. The secure bag ensures that any tampering cannot be undone and will be detected for certain. Also, the secure bag protects against any off camera "messing around" with the gripper.

Certification video requirements

The primary method for certification will be a video submitted to the Mash Monster judges. It will be possible to fail the certification based on the video even if you have successfully closed the gripper. Video must meet the following requirements:

• Video must be continuous, uncut, and unedited. Unedited means no titles, banners, graphics, stills, etc. You are welcome to upload trimmed and edited versions after the fact.
• The gripper and athlete must remain in frame at all times. Judges have discretion regarding the gripper incidentally leaving the frame during the chaos of an attempt. The athlete remaining in frame means at least some part (arm, leg, shoulder, etc). You cannot fully leave view at any time. We strongly recommend that the camera is sitting stationary.
• The box must be opened on camera.
• When your attempts are complete, the gripper must be placed in the secure bag while still on video. Package the gripper as received in the CPW pouch. Then place it drawstrings down in the secure bag and pull the yellow tab to expose adhesive. Run your fingers along the red seal like a Ziploc. The bag is now sealed and you can end the video.  

Please review this example certification video recorded by Jaland "dubyagrip" Worley.

Rules for certification attempts

• The gripper must be closed upright. No inversion allowed.
• Magnesium carbonate chalk is the only substance allowed on the hands or gripper.
• The Mash Monster parallel set is used. Parallel is about 20 mm or wider. Never use any setting blocks or other equipment.
• No bracing is allowed to set or close the gripper. Do not touch your gripping hand or arm after the set. 
• Up to three attempts are allowed. We strongly recommend taking all three attempts, especially if you are closing the gripper. The more footage the judges can review, the better likelihood of a pass result.
• It is allowed to stop your set and readjust. An attempt is official when there is an effort to close.
• Either hand may be used, however, there is no off-hand certification so all attempts count. Attempting right, then left, then right would use up all three attempts.
• Both the set and close must be clearly visible to the judges.
• The time limit for certification is 5 minutes. The 5 minute timer starts after the first attempt. Please try and keep total video length under 10 minutes.

Returning the gripper

• The gripper must be shipped in a box.
• If possible, reuse the box and packing materials provided. You will need tape to close the box.
• You must use the return label provided.

Judging certification attempts

• You will be provided with a Dropbox file request via email. This will allow you to transfer the video file so we can upload to the GripBoard YouTube channel. You do not need a Dropbox account to use the file request.
• We will not judge a video uploaded to your channel.  
• The video will be presented privately to the Mash Monster judges for review.
• Three judges will score each attempt pass or fail. Fail results will be accompanied with a reason.
• Any single attempt must receive at least 2 out of 3 pass scores to succeed.
• Spoiler tags are used to keep judges' scoring hidden during review as to not bias subsequent scores.
• The judges' decision is final without appeal.

Notifications and announcements

• Sign ups will not be announced.
• All successful certification videos will be made public on the GripBoard YouTube channel after judging. They will remain public as a matter of preserving the history of the certification.
• A fail result will be communicated to the athlete only. Athletes are welcome to share their video and story but no official announcement will be made.
• Successful certifications will be announced in the Mash Monster forum and can be celebrated by members.

Contact a GripBoard Moderator or Judge with questions!